C-Falls man sentenced for assaulting sheriff's deputy

A Columbia Falls man was given a deferred six-year sentence after he pleaded guilty to assaulting a sheriff’s deputy and criminal possession of a scheduled drug.

Flathead County District Court Judge Robert Allison sentenced Caleb Buzzell, 25, on April 10. He had faced 2-10 years for the assault charge and up to five years for the drug charge if convicted.

According to court records, a Flathead County sheriff’s deputy responded to a convenience store on U.S. 2 East on Aug. 9, 2013, for a domestic disturbance report made by Buzzell’s fiancé.

Buzzell had fled on foot before the deputy arrived, but witnesses pointed him out in the parking lot. When the deputy approached him, Buzzell said his name was “Chris.”

When several witnesses then confirmed that he was the man involved in the disturbance, Buzzell took off on foot again, but the deputy caught up to him and tried to restrain him.

Buzzell allegedly resisted when the deputy attempted to handcuff him, tearing a sleeve off the officer’s shirt and hitting the deputy in the face. A witness intervened and helped the deputy handcuff Buzzell. The deputy later reported sustaining an injured thumb.

A search of Buzzell’s person allegedly turned up a plastic baggie containing marijuana and pills that were identified as acetaminophen-hydrocodone by their imprint.

In a Jan. 30 plea agreement, the county attorney’s office recommended a four-year suspended sentence for each count, to be served consecutively. Instead, Judge Allison gave Buzzell two three-year deferred sentences to be served consecutively.